Matt Sauer Strikes Out 17 Batters
New York Yankees pitching prospect Matt Sauer, a California native, was selected in the second round of the 2017 draft. A top prep pitching prospect at the time, the right-hander overcame Tommy John surgery, found his way to Double-A, and is coming off a pair of phenomenal performances amidst a solid season. The 23-year-old has a mid-90s fastball that touches 97 mph, certainly his best pitch. He also has a nasty slider with above-average horizontal bite, as well as a fading changeup that complements his heater nicely. Sauer absolutely stole the show in the minors this past week, delivering an eight-inning outing in which he struck out a whopping 17 batters. (Yes, you read that right. Seventeen.) Sauer allowed one run on two hits and zero walks along the way. This was his fourth outing at the Double-A level and his second consecutive with double-digit strikeouts; he had fanned 11 batters through 5.2 innings in his previous outing. Clearly, Sauer has good strikeout stuff and could have instant fantasy intrigue when he reaches the majors, perhaps as soon as 2023.
Aug 30
